HINDUISM Atharva-Veda – comprises domestic ritual,
popular prayers and magic spells to ward off
The history of Hinduism is unique among the world evil.
religions as it has no founder or date of origin.
It encompasses a number of major sects, as well as
ORIGIN countless subsects with local or regional variations.
The first traceable root of Hinduism lie with the 2 types of sects:
invading Aryans, who moved into the Northwest of
Devotional Sect – categorized based on
the Indian subcontinent form about 1500 BC.
their deity of worship, scriptures that are
Aryans – light skinned people given importance, philosophy followed
3 Classes of Aryans which they believe “twice Philosophical Sect- categorized based on
born”: their beliefs on God, liberation and ways to
attain liberation
Kshatriya – rulers or warriors
The Hindu worldview is grounded in the
Brahmin – priests
doctrines of Samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and
Vaishya – commoners ( farmers, artisans,
Karma (the universal law of cause and effect)
and merchants)
4 Major Sects:
*Hindu Dharma (Hinduism) is described as “cradle
of spirituality” and “mother of all religions” Shaiva – devotees of the God Shiva
because of their influence and on virtually to every
major religions and has given rise to other religion Vaishnava – devotees of the God Vishnu
such as, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
Shakta – devotees of the Goddess Shakti
Hinduism is a collective term applied to the many (mother divine)
philosophical and religious traditions native to
India. Its collection of sacred text is known, as Smarta – those who understand the
whole, as Sanatana Dharma, “The eternal ultimate form of the divine to be abstract
teaching” and all encompassing, Brahman
It is thus a complex tradition that encompasses Meaning of Life
numerous interrelated religious doctrines and
4 Major Life Goals:
practices but lack of unified of system of beliefs.
1. Kama – A life in search of pleasure, whether
Vedas – oral traditions passed among generations.
artistic or of the flesh
4 BOOKS OF VEDA
2. Artha – A life in pursuit of politics or the
Rig-Veda – a collection of a thousand materialism of commercial competition.
mantras or hymns to Aryan Gods with
mythologies and used by Hindu Dharma 3. Dharma – Living according to the duties of
priests one’s caste
Yajur-Veda – a guide for Brahmins assisting 4. Moksha – release, the goal of those who
at ritual sacrifices who need to recite have grown tired of other pursuits in
prayers to ensure a successful offering previous lifetimes and who now seek
Sama-Veda – consists of chants/holy songs release from the wheel of rebirth
verses from priestly hymns in the Rig-Veda RELATIONSHIP TO SELF
Self – spirit (Sanskrit – Atman)
The Self (Atman) is literally one and the are sacred because they afford us access to the higher
same thing as the Supreme Self (Paramatman) realms of meditation.
which is called by the term Brahman. The Ganga is a sacred river. Indeed all rivers are sacred
because they nourish and purify not all the body and
RELATIONSHIP TO SOCIETY mind, but also the inner being.
Hierarchy of Caste System PATH TO PERSONAL HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT
Brahmins – (ritual priests) - They perform 4 Ways to Salvation or Fulfillment:
the sacrifices that keep the Gods satisfied,
1. Karma Yoga (The way of Works) – Those who
which in turn maintain dharma in the
performs the proper rituals every day
human realm.
2. Jhana Yoga (The way of Knowledge) – Salvation
Kshatriyas – (warrior caste) – To maintain lies in a person’s recognition that is/her identity
social order. This social order is necessary is grounded not in the world but in Brahman-
for Brahmins to properly maintain the Atman
rituals.
3. Bhakti Yoga (The way of Devotion) - Those who
Vaishyas – (merchants or cultivators) – serve God through Bhakti passionately embrace
They contribute to dharma by providing the him in love.
needs of the society 4. Raja Yoga (The way of Physical Discipline) –
Shudras – (manual laborers) – they are The goal Raja yoga is training the physical body
so that the soul can be free.
doing the dirty works of the society, create
the conditions of purity necessary to
perform the rituals
*The first articulation of this vision of society if often
thought to be contained in the Purusha Shukta of the
Rig Veda where society is created through the sacrifice
of the cosmic man, Purusha.
RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
The Hindu view of nature is based upon the
Vedas, Upanishads, and Vedanta and their
philosophical views, as well as the Hindu
devotional and ritualistic practices.
According to Hindu thought, there is no
separation between the Divine and the world of
nature. They are the two aspects of reality.
Sacred Places
These are defined primarily in terms of nature,
not human activity.
For example:
Mt. Kailash is a sacred mountain, and as the abode of
Shiva or the higher consciousness. Indeed, all mountains
